Salvation
by Crimson Lotus
Summary: A curious Night Elf decides to investigate and learn about the life of a fallen paladin and why she still lives. Why is she still alive? Why was she killed, and who killed her? And who is this mysterious zealot of the Scarlet Crusade? Read and Review!


Hi all! I know I haven't written any stories for a while now, so I wanted to change that! Yay!

**Disclaimer: No, I do not own Warcraft. No, I do not own any content Blizzard has made, or even some of these characters. Yes, I'm that 13 year old that pwned you in BG. Muahah. (But seriously. All I own is a computer.)**

Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter! Also, feel free to send any replies back to me in the reviews. I will be awaiting them patiently.

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**Salvation**

"_**There's always darkness in the light..."**_

**Inspired by a RP event on the Scarlet Crusade server, "roflz who RPZ on SC!"**

**By Crimson Lotus** **(Firi on Scarlet Crusade)**

**Rating: T (Rating may change due to later chapters. Stay tuned for the rating change.**)

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A gloomy day shrouded the forests of Elwynn and Duskwood, covering the ground with shadow and rain. Muddy pathways warded off travelers, and overflowing streams made the animals flee to higher land. The lake behind the town of Goldshire started to flood the ground nearby, but it would only be a matter of time before the waters recede and the forest turns back to normal. Many patrons, it seemed, were taking refuge in the inn while the storming outside wreaked havoc on the land. Many of these patrons seemed war-torn and rugged, as if their appearance screamed they weren't just helpless citizens, which was fairly odd, considering this was a very small and quiet town. Most of the people living here were townsfolk, farmers, and had other occupations that called for a very quiet and happy life, though it seemed this wasn't the case as of now.

The inn smelled of wet fur and mud as more and more patrons entered. Many were hunters, those who usually ate and slept under the stars, those who used nature's resources to live and survive, those who had befriended the creatures of the wild. Their companions had walked in with them as well, as to escape the incoming flood that was to doom the usually green forest. Only one fifth of the entire inn was something different of a hunter.

"Aye, lassie! Tha' bear was enormous! Not even tha' great Barbarossa could tame tha' beast!" A dwarven hunter that went by the name of Mauler exclaimed to a rather bored-looking Night Elf. She seemed to be a druid by the looks of it, but there was no telling, since she also wore rogue-like armor along with her druidic wear. Perhaps she could have stolen the garments from Moonglade druids, or something of that nature. She just ignored him. "Ah yes... tha' was tha good ol' days..."

In walked another traveler. The traveler had a black cloak on, so it was hard to tell the gender. Only strands of greying raven hair and a blade was showing, and the blade didn't seem fitting in this world, green gas – or something of the sort – emitting from it.. The elf turned to see who had walked in just in time to see the eyes of the cloaked person. The eyes in the hood glowed a light blue, but it didn't appear to be a Night Elf. She raised her brow at this, and looked back at Mauler, who has just started to ramble on again, but noticed the cloaked figure, and paused to stare. Whoever it was, they were almost certain they didn't mean good. The figure made a motion to sit in the chairs closest to the bar, which she succeeded in. After all, no one would stop that man or woman from sitting because of how menacing and mysterious they looked. At this point, most of the patrons who were busy fussing about comfort or talking gleefully to others had stopped to look at the traveler with unsure eyes. Some just ignored her, and kept on to what they were doing.

"A mug of Thunderbrew, Zack."

Her voice was chilling, as it ran a jolt of fear through the spines of those that heard it. It seemed.. almost like an Undead's voice, but surprisingly with a hint of feminism. Several people she was sitting next to watched her as the barkeep handed her the mug of the strongest brew available. Of course, she downed almost half of her mug in one swig, to make them stare for even longer. Most had adverted their gaze to make it less obvious that they were still watching her. The Night Elf at the bar, though, wasn't one of those people. The dwarf, however, went back to talking, thunder overriding many of the voices in the safe haven everyone knew was the exact opposite. For some reason, the shadiest of characters had arrived here, and no one ever knew the cause except a handful of travelers and their associates. Everyone else just imagined situations in their heads.

They had just concluded that she was a female, seeing that her voice was that of a feminine nature, and that she had just revealed clean, well-kept hands. Even an idiot would know that she was a woman. Though, one thing was quite odd. She had the shape and height of an average human, even if a slight bit skinnier than most, though her eyes were luminous like that of a High Elf or Night Elf. Blood elves were out of the question, since their eyes were glowing green, not a pale blue like their cousins. This was the most puzzling thing about this woman.

The barkeep, who they guessed was named Zachary Dobbins (Everyone who was a constant visitor here knew him as Barkeep or Dobbins), shivered slightly at her presence. They knew him to smile as he passed drinks along, but this woman seemed like she could scare Uther if she so wanted to. The druid glanced to the human, and back to the cloaked traveler. She kept this going until the woman finished her drink, and walked upstairs, limping somewhat, something she failed to notice earlier.

"So Aura, what're ya doin' here in this lowly town?" the dwarf asked, eyeing the elf with his lone eye as he could, for he wore his eyepatch, as always. She quickly brought her attention to the dwarf, slightly ticked.

"I'm Nightshifter, not Aura. That elf's been long dead, and you know it." She glared daggers at the dwarf's other remaining eye, hoping they would tear up the lone vessel, to make the dwarf blind. Of course, it was to no avail. _He's lucky I chose to be a druid, and not a warlock or a mage_, she scowled, silently cackling in herself about some really mean and dastardly things she could probably do to the red-haired dwarf sitting next to her if she wasn't what she was. " And I'm here because of the storm... I was here for buisness, but it started to flood." She moved the her purple strands of hair to where the rest was, hoping it would stay there. To her disappointment, they shifted quickly back to it's usual spot at the top of her back, and she sighed, looking back to her partially empty mug, the only remnants being a weak brew, one that had good taste, but wasn't really all that much alcohol. She made a motion to the barkeep, calling out for more alcoholic beverage, but trying not to be too loud as to draw attention. "Barkeep, can I get some of that Black Label Rumsey Rum here?"

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The rain seemed to stop outside, and the sun started to show in small rays of blinding light. The forest almost represented a bog of some sorts, the soil easilly clinging to the cloth and leather boots of most travelers who were unfortunate enough to not get under shelter in time. The stables had been locked and reinforced, and the stable master attemped to calm the riding creatures as much as she could. There was just too many to care for all at once, and the noise of her defeat sounded throughout the inn, and in the blacksmith's workshop.

Nightshifter had finished drinking her rum, which had taken her almost an hour to do. Mauler was, surprisingly, still ranting on about his travels and his loathing of Horde rogues. She had learned to block out the horrid noise, and thought about the mysterious woman that had come through. There was a dark aura around her, and it seemed many noticed it. Hence the lowering of the volume in the inn. Still, there was much left unknown about her, and though rumors spread, they wouldn't help unless they were confirmed.

She turned her head to Barkeep Dobbins, who was cleaning the mugs that patrons had left behind as they continued to converse with those they were with. She noticed he had gotten a bit happier in that hour, seeing the smile on his face again. His cheery mood came back after the woman had gone, and he probably had a good idea of who that traveler was.

She quietly got up, cutting off her dwarven friend as she walked over to the bar itself, where several patrons stood, guzzling down their brews. Many ranged from buzzed to smashed, but she didn't pay attention to them. She headed to where Zachary was, still cleaning his mugs, and called him to her attention. "Hey Zack!" He turned his head toward the night elf, stopping the rubbing he was doing before, the smile slightly fading as he looked at her. "Can I talk with you?"

He nodded in response, walking towards the counter that had seen many years. "What might it be, Miss Nightshifter?" he asked her, leaning against the flat surface.

"That woman," she started, her eyebrows furrowing, as Zachary Dobbin's face started to look more pale than before, "would you happen to know who she is?"

Zachary looked away for a second, looking at the floor, then looking back up. He was hesitant to talk, but pushed himself to. "T-that was Firanda, the landlord of the inn. She's... changed a lot, since the last time we saw her... And it's been a while."

One of her eyebrows rose. _So she wasn't always like this..._ "When, may I ask, was the last time you saw her?"

Dobbins seemed to be a bit under the weather, as his eyes glossed over in well-kept fear. "She was my good friend, back then... The last time I saw her, before today, was at her funeral." This made both of Nightshifter's eyebrows raise in slight surprise. "Though they say she died from a pierce to the heart from a greatsword, which I saw myself. It's..." He paused again. "It's a wonder why she's still around. I-I doubt she's undead though. She's a _paladin_, anyways."

The night elf's ears twitched. _She's a fallen paladin? How was she able to come back? Was she.. ever dead?_ She decided to press further, since she was more curious about this woman than ever. "Did you ever see anyone in the inn who associated with her?"

He looked up, his eyes a little more open than last time. He seemed a bit more meloncholy than before. "There was a man with red hair. He seemed to be a paladin as well, by what his armor looked like." He paused to give a weather-beaten warrior a mug of Thunderbrew Lager while thinking, once again, back into the past. "She always talked with him, and... smiled, whenever he was around."

_I guess that could explain her coldness now..._ "Anyone else? Or... where I could find this gentleman?"

Zack's brows furrowed. "Last time... I think he was going to Outland. To talk with..." Pause. "...some man... I think he said something about Shattrath." He adverted his eyes from her to his mug, and started cleaning it again with a rag. "Does that help you, Ma'am Nightshifter?"

She hesitantly said, "Y-yeah... Thanks."

"No problem."

_Well, seems like I'm going to Shattrath_. She looked toward the group of chairs to see Mauler again, still rambling as if he thought she was still there.

"Mauler!"

He shut up right when he heard his name called over the bustle and chatter of the inn. "Aye?"

"We're going to Outland." Mauler looked at the elf like she was some crazy, deranged cat trying to claw out the eyes of a blind man. He could tell by how her expression changed that this was not going to be fun.

"Er... Wha' for... migh' I ask?" Mauler inquired, looking at the stairs as if it were some feral beast.

"We're going to talk to a friend of mine, Maul. Let's go while we still have daylight. It'll take us a while to get there without a magister with us." She started walking at a fast, the dwarf hesitantly and cautiously following in the elf's footsteps out the front of the inn. They quickly darted to the stables, and mounted their creatures after thanking the stable master, Nightshifter on a black stallion, Mauler on an amber-maned ram. They sped off to Stormwind, to begin the quest of seeking this man of 'great stature'.

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Argh! I need to learn to detail my stories so I have longer chapters:( I've never had to really do any long stories or essays, but I've been known to be very descriptive...

Anyways, Read and Review! The story's progressing nicely, so I hope I can keep this up!

_**!©!**_


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